The #1 appetizer to avoid in restaurants

In a restaurant, the aperitif is the first impression that sets the tone for the rest of the meal. Naturally, it pays to be discerning about what dishes you order, lest your next dinner party be ruined by a cactus flower. Just like there are dishes to avoid at buffets, pizzerias, and Indian restaurants, there are dishes to avoid in the appetizer section at most restaurants.

In the vast pantheon of starter plates, not everything is as good as a steakhouse salad or a tartare. But even though some chefs decry the humble mozzarella sticks in Italian restaurants, there’s no denying the fact that there are some really good mozzarella sticks out there.

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On the opposite end of the spectrum, some entries can be downright bad. Whether it’s a seasonal no-no, something inauthentic, or a dish you could easily make at home and do a better job of, these are the first impressions that are sure to leave a bad taste . And according to chefs across the country, the ones who never order are the ones who aren’t in season or aren’t sincere.

As the chef of a strictly seasonal restaurant like Chicago’s Longman & Eagle, Brian Motyka is particularly irritated by out-of-season produce. “The number one appetizer to never order for me personally is any type of dish made with out-of-season vegetables,” he says. “When I see this classic Caprese salad in the middle of winter, I avoid it at all costs, as well as when I see Dutch asparagus in the summer.”

After all, why order a Caprese salad in fall when you can order something like Motyka delicata squash with goat cheese and salsa macha, or apples and endives with apple butter vinaigrette and Manchego? “Produce will always taste better when it is local and in season.”

Other products whose flavor and integrity rely heavily on freshness include oysters and raw shrimp. And considering how risky they can be in terms of causing illness, it’s advice worth heeding. This is why many chefs suggest avoiding them as starters altogether.

“If you can’t see the ocean or it’s not a restaurant that specializes in fresh seafood, I would avoid these dishes because there are other great offerings on the menu and your stomach will thank me,” says Grant Morgan, executive chef at 97 West Kitchen & Bar inside Fort Worth’s Drover Hotel.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Éric Duchene agrees. The executive chef at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa suggests avoiding pre-shucked oysters. “These oysters often stay in a cool environment for a while. You can tell they’re not shucked fresh when you squeeze the lemon on them, and they don’t move. Pre-shucked oysters can be bitter and gross.”

And to be specific, Saura Kline recommends keeping an eye out for oyster red flags. “Never order oysters if they have a $1 promotion on Monday,” says the pastry chef at Local Jones at Denver’s Halcyon Hotel. “Seafood businesses are closed on weekends, so this is a restaurant trying to get rid of its already old fish.”

Shrimp cocktail is another seafood appetizer that is difficult to accept among chefs.

“When I’m dining out and it comes time to choose an appetizer, I still won’t order the classic shrimp cocktail,” says Paul Chadwick, sous chef at Shula’s at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk.

His reasoning? “It’s just one of those extremely easy dishes to make at home and at a fraction of the cost.” Instead, he suggests ordering more complicated and unusual shrimp starters. “We offer an incredible shrimp appetizer served in a creamy New Orleans-style barbecue sauce. The shrimp is always cooked to perfection and served with a side of crispy garlic crostini.”

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Even as a seafood enthusiast, Yulissa Acosta echoes these shrimp cocktail sentiments. According to the chef de cuisine at Hearth ’61 at Mountain Shadows Resort in Paradise Valley, Arizona, seafood is the go-to entrée “because it tends to be lighter.”

But the chef never drinks shrimp cocktail in a restaurant. “It’s a dish that I generally find lacking in flavor, and the texture of the shrimp often ends up being too rubbery.” In the end, it’s about the bottom line. Or in this case, too basic. “A traditional cocktail sauce is usually paired with it, which is just horseradish and ketchup. It’s always possible to go a little further by adding herbs, garlic or even Worcestershire sauce, but often you see the same basic version.”

Similar to the overly simple shrimp cocktail that’s too easy to replicate at home, charcuterie is another appetizer that falls into the “avoid” category. “The trendy charcuterie board is almost always overpriced and may contain mostly items you can find pre-prepared at your local grocery store,” says Brian Hatfield, executive chef at the upscale Bones steakhouse in Atlanta, Georgia. “Unless it’s a specialty establishment that you know runs its own in-house production, this popular entry may cause you to miss out on something much more special.

Then there is also the question of authenticity. Oscar Cabezas, executive chef of Bay Area-based Teleferic Barcelona, ​​advises keeping your reheated dish authentic. “I like to order starters that focus on the restaurant’s cuisine. As a Spanish chef, for example, I would avoid croquetas at an American steakhouse. Chefs are passionate about their work and you always want to order a dish that suits them. believe wholeheartedly.”

Matthew Kirouac